


Growth

by VoidGhost



Series: Widofjord Week 2k19 [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Blood Pacts, Kinda, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Rituals, Orc Culture, POV Yasha (Critical Role), Soulmates, Yasha/Zuala (Past) - Freeform, i made up some shit about yasha's tribe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 23:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19283530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidGhost/pseuds/VoidGhost
Summary: Yasha wasn’t the most perceptive, nor the smartest of their group, or even the most charismatic. The thing she was best at was smashing heads together and summoning a rage she never knew she had buried within her.But she knew a bond when she saw one.





	Growth

**Author's Note:**

> turns out, Yasha's really fun to write for too~
> 
> I made up some stuff about marriage (idk if matt ever explained if there's any differences in marriage between cultures but im pretending there is) so anyway, hope yall enjoy <3

Yasha wasn’t the most perceptive, nor the smartest of their group, or even the most charismatic. The thing she was best at was smashing heads together and summoning a rage she never knew she had buried within her. 

But she knew a bond when she saw one. 

Caleb and Fjord were in sync. They naturally gravitated to each other during battle, keeping each other alive and protected even if they didn’t realize they did it. Even in the smallest moments; tonight alone, she counted how many times they each drank from their mug in sync, or crossed their legs at the same time, or laughed. 

She was at 41. 

The weirdest part was that she  _ recognized  _ this type of bond, and for a moment, she wondered how they had the time to slip away and elope when she remembered Dashilla’s lair. The blood, the determination, the near fatal curiosity, but most importantly, the pact. 

She almost laughed out loud. _They_ _didn’t even know._

She knew that the Empire has different marriage traditions than the Dynasty (she won’t even speak for the Coast, never having been there until recently), but even the majorly recognized traditions of Xhorhas differed from the ones her tribe held. 

She’s told the group before that her tribe functions in an orderly fashion. That is, rules are sacred. The Matriarch had chosen a mate for Yasha long after she had already secretly bonded with Zuala. 

She can’t be certain that every marriage had what they had, but she did know that when they cut along the lines on their palms, clasped hands under the moonlit sky and kissed, that things had changed. 

She would describe it as feeling complete; not as if she was missing a piece of herself, but like she found a place to belong. Yasha, of course, had heard stories about soulmates and rituals that made the bond stronger - marriage being one of them - but she had not heard stories of such bonds where the people involved had no idea they even committed to such a thing. 

Yasha and Zuala gravitated towards each other, could tell what the other was thinking without even being in the same room, and she always knew where the other was. It was a comforting presence, like Zuala was always with her.

That bond was severed a long time ago, and Yasha had only felt silence since then. 

But now. Now, she felt she might have to step in and guide her teammates on something they might not have ever heard of. 

They had gotten back from the Bright Queen after a successful mission that took them cross-country, and it had been a while since they were back at the Xhorhouse. Naturally, they celebrated via the local pub, and it wasn’t long until the music flowed and they scared a lot of the drow occupants out. Yasha nursed a mug of ale as she sat at their booth, watching Jester drag Beau and Caleb into a half-waltz, half-spin dance with linked hands forming a circle. Beau had the most to drink so far (aside from Nott, who had ordered an entire bottle of wine for herself and who Yasha was pretty sure might be passed out on a stool at the bar) and stumbled off-rhythm, but it didn’t look like the other two minded. Jester had nothing to drink, similar to Caduceus who was beside the passed-out Nott with a hand on her back, but Caleb’s face had pinked from his last couple drinks. 

Beside Yasha, Fjord was nursing the same ale that he first ordered two hours ago, with no lack of color on his face as he watched the circle on the dance floor. He even began to sway to the music, in the same way that Caleb tried to keep up with Jester’s faster pace. She glanced between the two to see if it’ll click that something was up, but all she saw was Fjord’s lips tick up in one corner. 

Almost without her own volition, her mouth opened, “Fjord?”

He blinked away from the dance floor and glanced over. “Hm?”

She paused to think exactly what she wanted to say. Long enough that Fjord fully turned his attention towards her, an eyebrow raised. 

“I was thinking,” Yasha said, slow. “There were stories shared among my tribe when I was little. Stories of soulmates and bonds. Have you ever heard of anything similar on the Coast?”

Fjord cocked his head at the odd question but didn’t dispute it. He took a sip of ale as he thought. “Hm. Not really. Wasn’t too much into fairytales as a kid. Why?”

Yasha shrugged innocently. “Just curious.” She paused, looking into the depths of her mug until she was ready to continue. “I grew up with Zuala, you know. Even as a little kid I believed we were soulmates.” It was easier, now, to talk about her. Especially the parts when they were together and happy. 

Fjord watched her silently, allowing her to continue. She did. 

“We were stronger together. Emotionally and physically. I had…” She paused, wondered if she should reveal that part. At the look of Fjord’s interest, and the way he kept glancing over at the dance party, she did. “I had strong instincts after we married. I knew where she was and always wanted to be around her. I wanted to protect her.” 

Something in Fjord’s expression changed as she spoke, a pinched look that defined his orcish features. He couldn’t help a lingering glance back out to the dancing group, and Yasha knew who he was watching. 

“We made a promise and it seemed like that promise made us stronger,” Yasha continued. She chuckled. “It affected her, too. She was always hovering, always trying to do things for me. She gave me lots of gifts. Flowers, mostly.” She looked back up and found Fjord’s gaze had drifted to the edge of the table, deep in thought. “Have you ever felt that?”

Fjord startled and looked up as he processed the question. Then he looked down into his mug and shrugged. “I mean. I’ve been told that orcs have a certain…” He paused and made a face, as if discussing his other half left a bad taste in his mouth. “Protective nature. Never really felt it strongly for anyone, though.” 

“Not at all?” Yasha prompted. 

Fjord gave her a side-glance this time, narrowed. “...More recently. Just, for the group. In general.” She didn’t miss his stilted answer, or the way he hid his face behind his mug of ale. 

“Well, I am glad you want to protect us,” Yasha said. 

Fjord turned a shade darker and looked back out to the rest of the inn. Yasha grinned, and as she thought about this more, she began to laugh. 

Fjord gave her a look. “What?”

She shook her head and held out her hands. “I was just thinking. I married Zuala under the stars and we eloped by sharing blood.” On her palms were a criss-cross set of scars that mirrored each other. “In my tribe, you would be considered a married man.” 

If she thought Fjord’s face couldn’t get darker, or his eyes wider, she would be wrong. The expression was too much for her, and she couldn’t help giggling again as she picked up her empty mug of ale and approached the bar. 

Caduceus looked between her, to Fjord, and back. He sighed. “Word is spreading.” 

Yasha let the bartender refill her mug and gave Caduceus a smile. “More than they realize.” 

Nott made some incoherent groan from her drunken pile on the countertop. Caduceus just pat her back until she was snoring again. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Yasha noticed Fjord slowly making his way to the dancefloor, and Jester happily tugged him into their little circle. His hand grasped Caleb’s. 

Yasha only hoped this bond would last. 


End file.
